Bonjour! Welcome to the 2013 St. Edward's University Summer Angers Program

Yesterday, sitting patiently, and at least in my case, nervously, the St. Edward’s students of CULF 3331.23 waited for the culmination, the climax: the presentation of autobiographical movies created by the students of Madame Thareau’s Sixième students. 5 o’clock finally arrived, and after some introductory comments, Dr. Sloan ushered us through each student’s video. Recorded in English, the films offered a peak into the lives of the students we worked with for the past couple of weeks.

Over those past couple of weeks, I worked with almost every student in Mdm’ T’s class when it came to general activities. However, for the video project, I worked with Ryan, an ambitious, always cheerful boy with the drive to learn when you could gather his attention. Besides allowing for a unique friendship, the work I did with Ryan allowed for an important educational experience on both my and his part. For Ryan, I imagine working with me improved his English somewhat and gave him the opportunity to meet with a foreigner not familiar with his culture. For me, Ryan provided a viewport into the French school system, in general, and the progressive education of Collège Jean Vilar, more specifically.

Along with the dedicated staff at the English Language Library, students in Dr. V’s CCLD Course helped to run a program called ‘Free Teens’. On Thursday evenings, teens from the Angers community would gather at the ELL site to learn more about the English language and to participate in various activities. Our students created ‘ice breakers’ for everyone to get to know one another; they came up with various activities and discussion points, all around themes: Music & Movies, Sports in the U.S., NYC: The Big Apple, etc. During the last Free Teens sessions, students also had the privilege of talking to the American Consul, Robert Tate, who shared some fascinating insight regarding travel, languages, culture, and his career path.

This Google Map locates the country of origin for the children St. Edward’s students have been working with this summer at College Jean Villar.

The map indicates that of the 8 of the 12 students in Mdm. Thareau’s class have immigrated to France from 5 different countries.  This parallels the diversity at a school as a whole which has students from over 30 different nations.  This context has enriched the students’ explorations of course content related to societies in transition in general and immigration and education in particular.

The College Jean Villar students created this map during a mapping lesson.  It was fascinating watching the students trying to locate their home countries, then “pinning” the google map.

Among the moments in history which best exemplify human heroism, the landings at Normandy are deserving of special attention.  More than once, we were reminded that we stood on sacred ground — made so by the blood of thousands of brave young men who gave their lives so that we and all the people of the world could live free from Nazi domination.

In visiting the memorial museum, we were shown in film and artifacts what evil was undertaken in one of the darkest times in human history.  What would have happened without the retaking of Europe thankfully will never be known.  There was a high cost, but the cost of leaving this land to genocide and ruin would have been unimaginable.

On the green grass of the American cemetery, walking past row upon endless row of graves, no one was left unmoved by the overwhelming cost paid these 69 years ago.  We grieved with school children, with travelers from across the globe, and with the few who remain of those who fought on this land in 1944.

We walked up from the waterline of Omaha Beach in the very bootprints of those brave men who fought to retake this land from the hands of tyranny.  So many lives were cut short on this sand.  I think that those who died would take comfort in knowing that young men and women not so very different from them, separated only by time, laughed and gathered sea shells on this beach.  We live free because of the price they paid.

Looking down over the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, the unique audacity of the landings was evident.  It took bravery which will not soon be seen again to scale those rocks right into the barrels of machine guns.  We sat with those reenacting the aftermath of that day and we could imagine what it was like for the 90 who remained to fight on of the 225 who landed on the beach below.

Words on a screen cannot do justice to the experience of our tour of Normandy: inspiring, heart breaking, painful.  They are inadequate.  There also is no way to thank those who risked all to ensure that such malice was driven back.  We will always carry with us the experience and the knowledge of what price was paid. 

 

Students in Dr. Villanueva’s Cross Cultural Development Course volunteered during ‘Children’s Hour’ at the English Language Library on rue Boisnet in Angers, France. The library, opened December 1993, provides a wide selection of English books and spreads relevant and interesting information about English-speaking countries in Europe and abroad in hopes to increase awareness and appreciation for the English language. The library offers regular cultural activities that embrace this mission, one being the Children’s Activities that Dr. V’s students participated in. Students worked with both Phoebe Marshall-Raimbeau, the director of the library and Marianne Sénèque, the director of activities and volunteer coordinator. St. Ed’s students report having a wonderful experience working with French children and improving their English skills.

Tuesday and Saturday mornings, children were introduced to a theme based on American books such as The Teddy Bears’ Picnicby Jimmy Kennedy. Dr. V’s students co-lead the groups and were actively involved in reading stories, practicing vocabulary and pronunciation, singing, and other fun activities! This not only helped the organizers at the ELL with providing native English speakers to help the children with language skills, but this also gave students in Dr. Villanueva’s class the opportunity to observe specific Developmental concepts such as Piaget’s Cognitive Stages, Language Development, Emergent Literacy, and Psychosocial Development all in the larger context of French Culture. Très bien!

Under the guidance of Dr. Olivier Beauchet, Chair of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Biology of Aging, School of Medicine of Angers, students in Dr. Villanueva’s CC Lifespan Development Course were given a tour of the Gerontology Unit at the University Hospital , where they were able to follow medical students on rounds with geriatric patients and were able to observe neurological exams being administered to alzheimers patients. Students were also able to participate in the Inclusive Art Program by shadowing an Art Therapist who specializes in working with patients with Alzheimers and Dementia. This was a wonderful learning experience for Dr. V’s students, as they were able to see first hand how developmental declines in general, and cognitive deficit in particular, are measured, studied, and treated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After learning about prenatal development and the birthing process, which included a guest lecture from a Sage-femme (Midwife), students in Dr.   Villanueva’s Cross Cultural Lifespan Course were able to tour the Maternity units at the University Hospital in Angers. Dr. V and her students were hosted by the Chief of Neonatal Diagnostics, Dr. Loïc Sentilhes. They first got a tour o the entire maternity unit, including labor and delivery rooms, special birthing rooms, and finally, the neonatal diagnostics unit and surgery and urgent care rooms. St. Ed’s students were then able to observe the Neonatal Diagnostics team discuss 27 cases in which decisions had to be made regarding the development of the baby and the health of the mother. This was a remarkable experience for our SEU Developmental Psychology students, as it gave them the opportunity to compare non-normative development to what they’ve learned in class as well as observing and learning about the differences in French and American procedures when it comes to difficulties in pregnancy and prenatal development.

In our planning sessions for this year’s summer project in a public middle school in Angers, Collége Jean Vilar, the school’s director of the special education program (which goes by the French acronym S.E.G.P.A. ), Stéphane Serru, requested that my students and I offer a demonstration.

lesson.  He requested that we bring with us age-appropriate materials so that French middle school students could not only learn the concepts, but also learn English.  Additionally, the classroom teachers and he wanted to learn the ways “things are done” in a typical American classroom.

I’m not certain that the learning activities we brought with us are representative of a typical American classroom, but they represent the sorts of learning events we demonstrate for the pre-service teachers in the School of Educationat St. Eds.

Moreover, the activities we brought with us that align closely with

Continue reading Dr. Sloan’s Class Conducts Model Math Lesson at a Public School in Angers

Dr. Jennifer Kerzil, a developmental psychologist and associate professor at UCO presented to Dr. Villanueva’s Cross Cultural Lifespan Development course. Dr. Kerzil, who studies attachment styles and young childrens’ social development, discussed in detail the work that she completed in a Vietnamese orphanage. After hearing Dr. Kerzil speak, students were able to make several connections to both cross cultural and developmental course content. They were both moved and motivated. Dr. Kerzil’s presentation was informative, educational, and inspiring. Thank you!

 

Welcome to the site for the St. Edward’s Summer 2013 Program in Angers, France. This is an exciting new collaboration between the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and the School of Education. This year, we will offer an unique study abroad experience through establishing collaborations with numerous community partners in Angers.  The goal of these collaborations is to promote and facilitate cross cultural understandings and provide community service-learning experiences for St. Edward’s University students in the Angers community.  Stay tuned!  Sara & Kris